Morgan Moses is Poised For a Big Night at the NFL Draft

Morgan Moses is an imposing figure. At 6-foot-6 and 313 pounds with a beard so large it has its own Twitter account, the offensive lineman from the University of Virginia is a very big man. His presence in the Draft is also big. Once thought of as a middle-round pick, Moses has pushed his projection into the first or early second round. STACK chatted with Moses about his draft day suit, what it's like being talked about on TV 24/7 and getting hip to proper nutrition.

The consensus seems to be that you're either going to be picked late in the first round or early in the second. Will you be disappointed if you don't go on that first day, especially since you'll be attending in person?

No, I’m happy to be here. I’m blessed to be in this moment in my life and this opportunity to even be invited out to New York for the draft. Whatever happens, happens.

What has this process been like for you? Is it weird to see yourself on TV so much?

It’s been crazy and hectic—in school and flying all over the place, going here, then there. It’s funny because my friends will say, "You were just at the house. How were you on TV in California?" It’s just a testament to how much I’ve been doing.

There have been some questions about your consistency from down to down. How have you responded to that?

I think I’ve answered a lot of questions for the analysts the last couple of months—ones showing that I can play on a high level, which I did at the Senior Bowl and had an awesome week. Going through the process of meeting teams and stuff like that, I’m giving the coaches and GMs a chance to know who Morgan Moses really is outside of football. So I think over the last couple of months, I definitely did myself the diligence just to be able to put myself in a position coming up this week to be drafted.

Your weight fluctuated during your career at UVA. Are you comfortable with it right now?

Right now I’m where I want to be and I’m happy where I’m at. It’s up to them on draft day if they want me to gain weight or if they want me to lose weight. I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life and I’m ready to play.

What has your training been like these past few months? What have you been working on?

The biggest thing in training with Chip Smith is that we worked out six to eight hours a day. It was long days of training. I had a personal nutritionist there who helped really train my body. All the hard work I did with Chip Smith, eating right, putting the right things in my body helped me get my weight down and get me to where I needed to be.

Anything specific the nutritionist turned you on to that you didn't know was good for you?

Not really, just cutting out the sugary drinks. That was the biggest thing for me.

So what is the team that drafts Morgan Moses going to get?

They’re getting a guy who's been able to play multiple positions and has over 40 career starts with no injuries, so you’re talking about a guy who has longevity. [I can also] play at a high level on the right side and the left side, something that not only helps me in the draft but helps teams, because you never know what happens. Playing for Coach London the past four years, he always believed in the next man up in college, so you never know what happens. Sometimes I’ll have to be at right tackle and then left tackle will get hurt so I’ll have to move to left tackle.

You're coming from a long line of elite offensive linemen at UVA. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Branden Albert, Eugene Monroe, all those guys have gone in the first round. What's it like to potentially join their company?

I get to talk to those guys all the time, especially Branden—he and Eugene [went] through the same process as me. One thing I try not to look into, I know UVA has all types of stuff, but I always want to pave my own road. I’m pretty sure if you ask them, they would say the same thing. So being in the position that I am now, definitely coming from UVA and playing on the offensive line helps a lot, but I wanted to be me throughout the process and pave my own way. I talk to those guys all the time and they give me a heads up on the process and how they go about certain things. It’s been great.

STACK: Here's what trainer Chip Smith had to say about Moses:

Moses has all the tools that translate into becoming a prototype left tackle in the league. This big man is incredibly athletic and explosive in his hips, with great feet and long arms. More importantly, Moses is one of the most intelligent young men you’ll ever be around. During his time training with me at CSPS in Atlanta, he spent his off days traveling back and forth to Charlottesville to UVA, where he was completing his degree. He is not afraid of hard work, and his willingness to go the extra mile speaks volumes. Moses worked hard and improved significantly during his time with me, especially with his core strength and his foot quickness and agility. He has all the tools he needs to be a great player in the league for a long, long time.